Search for the Lost Soul
by The Eternal Alchemist
Summary: FFTAKH crossover. Organization XIII is on the verge of collapse. Their stability lies within Marche's brother, Doned, whom is now consumed by anger and hate. Marche's mission becomes clear, but a new powerful enemy threatens to make his jouney difficult.
1. A Brother's Dark Heart

Chapter 1: A Brother's Dark Heart

"Why..." Doned thought to himself as he stared out his fogged up, bedroom window." "Why did he bring me back to this reality?"

His heart no longer knew the bliss of happiness. It now only knew anger, hate, sorrow, and isolation. Confined to his wheelchair, for what felt like an eternity to him, Doned could only gaze at the chilling rain as it poured from the wide stretch of dark grey storm clouds. He watched as the heavy rain pounded upon the city streets, autos, and bustling people that ended up getting caught out in the downpour.

"He knew what would happen to me if the world was turned back to normal, yet he still just thought of his own damn self! He knew that if we all came back here, to this reality, I would continue to be a prisoner to this sickness. I'd be a spectator to life, doomed to sit here and watch people do things they take for granted each and every day. Thing's that I'll never get to do again."

While listening to the sounds of the hard rain beating against his window and the sound of cars driving by, Doned slowly closed his eyes. As he began to drift into a light sleep, Doned began to remember his time in Ivalice. He could picture himself walking and running for the first time ever. He could remember when different clans taught him basic combat skills as he wandered Ivalice's beautiful landscape. He could remember how beautiful the blanket of green grass under his feet, the towering mountains, serene waters, and robin blue heavens above Ivalice were. He even remembered the friends he had met along the way. The more these memories visited, Doned became angrier, more hateful, and sorrowful than before. He also began to feel an incredible amount of rage. More than he had ever felt in his entire life. As he continued to drift between consciousness and unconsciousness, the hinges on Doned's bedroom door began to creek as the door slowly began to swing open.

"Whoever it is, you can just turn right back around and close the door behind you." Doned said with his eyes still shut.

"It's just me, Doned." a reluctant feminine voice responded back as the bedroom door slowly swung open a little more.

"My bastard-of-a-brother sent you to come and check on me, Ritz?" Doned asked her, his tone cold and unwelcoming.

"I came to check on you, Doned." Ritz responded in a concerned voice. "Marche has been telling me how you've been acting lately. How you won't even speak to your mom or leave this room."

"The hell do you care!?" Doned snapped as he opened his eyes and lifted his head from drooping down. "You're the one that let him do this to me! You could have stopped him!"

"You know what he did was for the best, Doned." Ritz said defensively. "You can't tell me you've been sitting here all this time hating your brother for bringing you home!"

"He damned me to a life of hell!!" he screamed hatefully. "Can't you see that, or are you THAT blind!? I'm even more sick now than I was back then! Everyone else gets to actually live a normal life while I just get to sit here and do nothing but simply exist! All I ever hear come out of Marche's mouth is how great everyone's life is now! Meanwhile, I get to sit here, confined, and feel the gradual deterioration of my own body! To put it a better way...I get to sit here and rot!"

"Doned..." Ritz uttered concernedly.

"Just get the hell out." Doned coldly interrupted. "I'm done talking to you. You'll never understand my pain. Just go...and never come back in my room again."

Ritz sorrowfully dropped her head slowly as she finally realized Doned's harsh and cruel reality.

"Finally get the picture?" Doned questioned with hatred to his tone.

"Yes, Doned. I get it..." Ritz depressingly replied. "I get that you hate your brother, and the rest of the world it seems like, for what he did. Because he wanted reality back the way it was ment to be. I accepted this, Doned. Reluctantly, but I accepted it. Why can't you?"

Doned eyes glowed with frustration and hate.

"You still don't get it..."

"...And she never will." a dark voice interrupted as it echoed throughout the room.

Ritz frantically scanned over the whole room as Doned smiled to himself. The sudden eerie sound of the mysterious voice gave Ritz a fright that chilled her to the very bone. Of course, she tried hard not to show her fear to Doned or the strange dark voice.

"Who are you!?" Ritz called out as she stood ready for whatever was about to happen.

There was a long pause as an eerie silence consumed the room.

"C'mon out and show yourself!"

"Silly girl." the dark voice replied with a laugh. I'm Doned's dream brought to life! I'm the very thing he has been waiting for since his dreams were shattered three years ago."

"You're no dream..." Ritz said as she scanned the room for the entity. "You're a nightmare! What do you want with Doned!?"

"I simply want him to step through the door to darkness. It is through that void where he shall regain his lost dreams."

"Yes..." Doned uttered as he began to grin wickedly. "My dreams..."

"No, Doned!" Ritz called out.

"Why shouldn't I?" Doned questioned in a dark tone. "I have nothing here except broken dreams and empty promises."

"That's right, Doned." the dark mysterious voice echoed. "There's a place waiting for you that will give those dreams back to you and more."

Just behind Ritz, a black vortex slowly began to open. With each passing second, the vortex opened bigger than before. A chilling wind began to blow gently throughout the room as surges of lightning lit up the room. Doned was unafraid of this. He showed no fear in the face of this chaos.

"The door is right in front of you, Doned. Simply step into the darkness and you'll be free of your pain forever."

Not even a flinch was noticeable from Doned as he took in the words of the mysterious echoing voice and stared in to the black vortex that was right behind Ritz. The expression on his face showed that he welcomed the darkness. It was as if he had longed for this moment for a long time. He welcomed a chance to leave the world he hated and despised. The world that made him what he is. Then, without fear, Doned slowly began to roll his wheelchair towards the void. He could feel his heart pounding as he thought about the sweet bliss of regaining the dreams he had lost.

"No!" Ritz screamed out. "I'm not letting you go through this vortex!"

"The hell you're not!!" Doned screamed back as his eyes began to glow and surge with the color of crimson.

He extended his arm out and held up his hand. Ritz could only stand there firm and ready while wondering in the depths of her mind what was going to happen next.

"Doned..." Ritz began in a trembly voice. "You don't want this! You can't..."

"How the hell do you know what I do and don't want!?" Doned snapped frustratingly as he interrupted. "You're not inside my head! You're not me, so you don't know what I've been through!"

"She'll never know, Doned!" the mysterious voice echoed. "She'll never know the pain you've suffered! That is why it is inevitable that you must go into the darkness. It will cure you, release you from your pain, and bring everlasting bliss."

Doned smiled to himself and continued to roll toward the dark void. His mind was made up. Nothing, nothing on Earth, would be able to stop him. Ritz began to franticly dash after Doned's wheelchair. It felt as if she was running in slow motion as she drew closer to him. She was just about to reach the grip. It was nearly in her hand when suddenly a dark force threw her up against the wall. It felt like a hard blast as she was thrown back against the wall. Her head hit hard upon impact and she dropped to the floor like a rag doll. Doned looked back at Ritz one last time with a cold look in his eyes. In his mind, he was saying his last goodbye to her, his brother, and this world. Without a hint of fear, Doned entered the void of darkness and disappeared from the world that caused him such sorrow. Ritz laid on the floor unconscious and motionless as the portal began to close. At this point, Ritz was unable to do anything but helplessly stand before the portal and watch it close completely.

Right after the dark mysterious portal had closed, Doned's bedroom door suddenly swung open. Marche began to enter the room only to find it was empty. A confused and concerning look came over Marche's face. He carefully scanned the room for any trace of his little brother.

"Doned?" Marche worryingly called out. "Doned, are you in here? Stop playing around!"

A serene, yet eerie silence continued to fill the room. Marche could not help wondering what was going on. He was concerned for his little brother, knowing the condition he had been in since their return home from Ivalice. He began to think the worst as he continued to search every inch of the room for his little brother. Marche then turned around and noticed Ritz lying up against the wall unconscious. Her body was limp and motionless.

"Oh my God! Ritz!" Marche shouted worryingly.

He dashed to her side as quickly as he could and kneeled down next to her. Marche gently lifted her head and looked on at her in dreaded concern.

"Wake up, Ritz!" Marche called out to her. "C'mon, Ritz! Snap out of it! Please!"

There was no response from her. She continued to lay there silent and motionless.

"RITZ!" Marche screamed as he shook his dear friend gently in his continued attempted to wake her up.

"She'll be fine, Marche." a gentle feminine voice suddenly said reassuringly.

Marche's eyes grew wide in fear. He was unable to recognize the voice that was speaking to him. He slowly looked over his shoulder, reluctant to see who was standing behind him. He looked up to see a mysterious figure cloaked in a black hooded trench coat. The figure's face was hidden from view due to the hood the stranger was wearing. Marche could only rise up off the ground and slowly begin to back away from the mysterious figure.

"Its alright." the mysterious figure said softly as she slowly extended her arm out.

Marche's heart was pounding in his chest, but could feel his fear beginning to diminish. It felt as if his fear was beginning to release its grip on him, like he felt unclenched. He watched as the mysterious figure reached its hand out to him. His rapid, pounding pulse began to slightly drop.

"I promise I won't hurt you." the mysterious stranger said softly. "I'm only here to help you."

Marche stopped only a few short feet away. The fright upon his face began to disappear to reveal a boy simply shaken by what he had witnessed and looking for answers.

"W-who are you?" Marche questioned nervously with a reluctant tone to his voice.

"You'll find out in time, but right now, it is extremely important that you brother is rescued and returned to this world."

"Why?" Marche curiously wondered.

"Because, he is in more danger than you, or even him, knows right now."

"No..." Marche uttered devastated in disbelief as he dropped to his knees.

"A group called The Organization has recruited your brother because of the extreme darkness that lurks within his heart."

"Darkness?" Marched questioned confused as he looked up at the mysterious figure.

"Since the world of Ivalice was taken away from him, along with a future of a healthy life, a seed of hatred, anger and carelessness has been planted deep within his heart. That seed has grown to what it is now. That is, a boy with pure concentrated darkness within him."

"W-what have I done...?" Marche asked himself in disbelief as his eyes began to fill with tears.

"Don't blame yourself, Marche." the mysterious figure said reassuringly while placing a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "You did what you had to do. What you knew in your heart was right. Everyone else was able to accept this."

"But Doned couldn't..." Marche continued as tears streamed down his face. "I took away the only thing that brought him happiness. The only thing that made his life happy and healthy, I took away."

"You did what needed to be done. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, you must put all of that in the past and be strong. Your brother needs you now more than ever."

"What can I do!?" Marche angrily shouted in frustration. "You said it yourself! His heart is filled completely with darkness! There's no possible way to reach him and make him see!"

"There is, Marche." the mysterious figure said removing its hand from his shoulder and slowly turning its back to him. As the mysterious figure began to slowly walk away from him it said "There is someone that can help you reach his soul. Once reached, you'll be able to convince him of what is happening to him."

"Why should I believe any of this any of this anyways?" Marche questioned with his fist clinched. "You're one of them, aren't you?!"

The mysterious figure replied with a simple nod.

"I thought so..." Marche replied disappointed and angered.

"It's not what you think, though." the mysterious figure quickly added.

"How!?" Marche angrily snapped questioning the mysterious figure.

"I'm a rouge member of the Organization. I can't tell you much right now, but I swear on my life that you can trust me."

While Marche started to think over the mysterious stranger's proposal, the sounds of groans were noticeable in the background. He quickly turned around to find Ritz grabbing her head and slowly leaning forward away from the wall. She clinched her teeth and tried to shake off the feeling of dizziness she was feeling.

"Ritz!" Marche gasped as he rushed to her aid.

"M-Marche...?" Ritz uttered in a daze as she began to come back around. "W-what happened?" she asked confusingly.

Marche kneeled down next to her and replied curelessly "I was going to ask you the same thing!"

"A-all I remember is...Doned. He was so full of hatred for you. I had no idea it was that bad."

Marche nodded and slowly rose to his feet.

He extended his hand to Ritz as he replied "I'm pretty much used to it. In fact, not only has he written me off, but mom too. He wants nothing to do with anybody."

With the aid of Marche, Ritz gradually got to her feet. As Marche turned to look at Ritz, he noticed a look in her eye that he had never seen before. It was a look of pure fear, gripping the very depths or her soul.

"Are you alright, Ritz?" Marche asked concerningly.

"I'm fine." Ritz casually replied.

Marche looked back over his shoulder to find that the mysterious figure was gone. Only Marche and Ritz had remained.

"This can't be happening." Marche said distressed.

"Think this could be a dream?" Ritz curiously questioned in wonder.

"If it is, how could we be having the same dream?"

Ritz smiled.

"I could just be a part of your dream, you know."

Marche looked to the empty space where his brother's wheelchair once sat and sighed.

"If this is a dream, I hope I wake up soon. So far, I don't like where this is going."

"You!?" Ritz shouted in disbelieve. "I was thrown against a wall and my head is killing me! I should be the one not liking this!"

Marche gave a long deep stressed sigh.

"I know Ritz, but I'm worried about Doned. What do you think is going to happen to him?"

Ritz could hear the concern for Doned in Marche's trembling worryful tone.

"Honestly, I have no idea..." Ritz replied cluelessly.

"Your brother must be saved from the darkness." a distorted feminine voice echoed throughout the room.

Shaken by the strange voice, Marche and Ritz glared around the room attempting to find where the voice was coming from.

"His heart can still be saved, but you have to act quickly. Be here tomorrow night around this time. A guide will show you the way."

"Why not tonight!?" Marche angrily shouted. "You said we needed to 'act quickly'!"

"The gate can only open tomorrow night." the distorted voice echoed. "Only then will the guide be waiting to take you through."

"Well, this is just great." Ritz snorted. "What are we gonna do!? Doned's been taken by...something...and we haven't a clue on how to get him back!"

"Calm down, Ritz." Marche replied consolingly as he placed his hand on Ritz's shoulder.

What was once sky shrouded in darkness was now lit up by the moon's warm gentle glow and the twinkle of each individual star that shined in the night sky. Marche could only look out his brother's bedroom window and stare in to the distance. A determined look came over his face.

"My brother is out there somewhere, Ritz." Marche said continuing to stare out at the glowing night sky.

"He's out there, and I'm going to bring him back."


	2. Destiny's Call

Chapter 2: Destiny's Call

"Doned...where are you...?" Marche thought to himself sorrowfully as he stood in the door frame to Doned's room.

He stared endlessly into his darkened room, saddened by his brother's disappearance. He couldn't help but to miss him and wonder why he had accepted such a deep darkness into his heart. Marche knew he had done the right thing when he put the world back the way it was, yet his brother couldn't accept that. Because of that, it had resulted in darkness settling deep within his heart along with losing him once more.

He stood there, going deeper and deeper into thought, thinking about what he had done, and what it had done to his brother. The weight of his guilt became heavier and heavier upon his heart the more he thought about it. Thoughts of happier times with his brother made his guilt become almost unbearable. He could feel his eyes begin to well up with tears as he clinched his fist in frustration while he leaned against the door frame. Then, he felt a warm friendly hand touch his shoulder.

"It's not your fault, Marche." a warm feminine voice gently spoke reassuringly. Marche looked back over his shoulder to see Ritz standing there with a warm smile on her face. "You did what you thought you had to do. Everyone accepted it but him."

"I know..." Marched replied in a sorrow trembled voice. "But I also knew what would happen to him if the world returned to normal, but I just didn't care. I wanted to go home so bad. I wanted everything back the way it was, and I didn't even think twice about what would happen to Doned if the world did return to normal."

"Doned knew it was inevitable." Ritz said consolingly as she turned Marche around to face her. She gazed into his eyes as she said, "He just couldn't face the truth. Because of that, darkness entered his heart and consumed him for over three years."

"...And now he's gone." Marche sorrowfully replied as he dropped his head in sadness. "He's gone and I still can't understand what happened. How could he have let the darkness consume him? It seemed like he was doing great at first. Then, somewhere along the way, something happened. How could I have missed it?"

"Think about this, Marche. Was it really that wrong and selfish to want the world put back the way it was? Would it have been right for us to continue living in a dream world we didn't belong in to begin with?"

Before Marche could give his response, his ears could detect the sounds of crashes and thumps coming from his room. Marche slowly turned his head towards Ritz as she in turn looked back at him. Their expressions acknowledged that they both could hear the loud noises coming from Marche's room. 

As quickly as possible, Marche and Ritz both made a mad dash to his room to investigate the strange loud noises. Upon approaching the doorway, Marche and Ritz both had an unbelievable shock. In his room, black creatures that stood almost as tall as Marche with long antennas and large yellow eyes ram sacked his room. A chill ran though Ritz's body as she gazed at one of the creatures' wide yellow eyes and watched their antenna scan and move about. Then, before either one could get out a word, the strange creatures immediately stopped what they were doing. Marche and Ritz looked on confused and wondered why they had stopped and what they would do next. Suddenly, the strange creatures' attention had shifted on to them. 

"Great, they know we're here! What do we do now?" Ritz shouted as she stood nervously on guard next to Marche.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ritz suddenly noticed a white bow that appeared to look like angel wings and quiver filled with arrows. Her eyes widened at the sight of the weapon which was engulfed in light.

"That must be the answer…." Ritz thought to herself.

Without a single word uttered, Ritz closed her eyes, folded her arms across her chest, and mad started to make a mad dash for Marche's bed. Marche, however, was lost in thought as he looked on at the strange black creatures and studied them with a keen eye.

"I've seen those creatures……somewhere….." Marche thought to himself, oblivious to Ritz actions, as he continued to study the creatures carefully and plunge himself deeper into thought. He could feel the answers starting to come to him. The familiarity was about to be revealed to him, when a sudden cry broke his blank stare and severed his thought.

"This time, I'll fight…." Ritz said firmly aloud with a reassuring tone to her words as she drew back the bow with the arrow deadlocked on her target.

She released the arrow and struck a direct hit on the shadow monster, instantly destroying the strange being as its body disbursed into what looked like a black mist that disappeared soon after. Ritz wickedly smiled to herself, as she now knew how to dispatch the menacing shadow like beings. 

As she reached for another arrow from her quiver, she spotted one of the dark creatures lurking upon Marche from behind, who was still deep in thought as he continued to try to figure out his faint familiarity with the creatures. She quickly snapped to his direction, without word or thought, aimed the arrow directly at the creature, and fired the shot. The arrow soared true, just past Marche's head in which the arrow barely missed it, and struck down the shadow being. Marche gasped in shock and fear as he turned to find the dark entity suddenly dispatched into oblivion. Marche looked back over at Ritz and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks." Marche said with a sigh of relief.

"Don't thank me yet." Ritz replied as she reached back for another arrow. "Those creepy little things aren't gone yet."

Defenseless, all Marche could do for the time being was get to Ritz side as quickly as he could as she cleared a path for him by picking the monsters off one by one. As he climbed on top the bed and stood next to Ritz, Marche had a feeling of loathing for not being able to aid his friend in ridding themselves of these abominations. He wished to wield a sword, as he did in Ivalice, and take down this threat. But instead, all he could do was stand there and watch helplessly as Ritz fired one shot after another, trying to do away with these creatures, only to realize hardly any headway was being made.

"I'm not getting anywhere this way!" Ritz snorted as she breathed heavily and felt her body wearing down. "There's just too many of them!"

Ritz slowly lowered her weapon as she and Marche watched the sea of black creatures crowd and cram the room, breaking and destroying everything they came in to contact with. She had now realized that they were sorely outnumbered as the abominations made their way over to Marche's bed. 

"I hope Doned was worth all this…." Ritz thought aloud as the creatures grew even closer.

Marche was silent as their doom was just a moment away. Then, as Ritz stood firm in the face of their doom with Marche at her side, something strange began to happen. Ritz suddenly noticed the creatures begin to gradually slow down until they finally came to a standstill. Marche and Ritz looked on in shock and amazement as the entities were suspended in place. They both looked at each other, puzzled and confused by what they had witnessed, then turned their attention back onto the shadowy creatures. Slowly and cautiously both Marche and Ritz approached the strange entities.

"Is this for real?" Marche asked Ritz puzzled by the sight.

"I'm looking at the same exact thing you are. You tell me!" Ritz replied shaken as she examined the creatures along side Marche.

"What you see before you is very real….." a feminine voice echoed throughout the room.

Marche and Ritz frantically glanced around the room, searching for the source of the strange voice. As their eyes began to make their way back towards the strange creatures, Marche and Ritz suddenly saw a fury of swipes made at the shadowy entities. The creatures' bodies then disbursed and their remains faded into nothingness by the groups. Marche and Ritz could only watch in silence as both were left speechless by what they had seen.

"T-they're all gone….." Marche uttered in shock as the very last mist of shadow vanished before her and Ritz's eyes. "Not one of them is left!"

"Yeah…." Ritz replied awestricken and confused by the ordeal. "It's amazing, but who did this?"

"The credit is all mine." a feminine voice suddenly spoke in a proud and arrogant tone.

Marche and Ritz quickly snapped in the direction the voice was coming from. A figure in a black coat and hood stood before them, not uttering a single word. The cloaked figure slowly raised their arms to the hood. Marche and Ritz looked on as the cloaked figure began to remove the hood to reveal a young woman's shoulder length, flowing red hair and gentle face. She smiled at them as she saw the expressions on their faces.

"What were you expecting?" the mysterious woman asked with a laugh.

"Well, we definitely weren't expecting you!" Marche replied with a nervous chuckle.

Ritz shifted her eyes in Marche's direction as she gave a look of dissatisfaction. 

"I wish I could say I was here on better terms, but I'm afraid I'm not. Your brother is in more trouble than both you or he will ever know."

"Tell me how I can save him!" Marche demanded in a tone of desperation as he began to approach her

The cloaked woman smiled and held her hand up to him. Marche turned to Ritz confused and curious as to what the mysterious woman was going to do. Ritz, in turn turned to look back at him, and then both turned to look back at her. As Marche turned his attention back towards the mysterious stranger, he noticed she was suddenly approaching him. Before Marche could react or utter a word, she reached out and placed her hand gently to his chest. Marche had no clue what to think or what to say. At first, he had an uneasy feeling, but that feeling quickly melted away as his entire body began to surge with a gentle glow. The glow gradually grew brighter until his entire body was engulfed in light. Ritz stood and looked on in amazement as Marche's body seemed to be made entirely of a radiant light. Finally, the light began to slowly fade away, gradually revealing Marche once again. As the light completely faded away, Ritz was awestricken by the sight of her friend.

"My clothes!" Marche uttered in astonishment as he looked over his clothes.

"A wardrobe fit for an adventuring traveler." the strange woman said as she smiled and crossed her arms.

"Adventuring traveler?" Marche asked as he looked back up at her.

"Exactly." the mysterious woman replied and she pointed to a crest that was built into the shirt. "This is the key to finding your brother, but it comes with a catch."

"What's the catch?" Marche curiously asked as he raised an eyebrow to her.

"This crest will take you only where you're needed most.

"Needed most?!" Ritz angrily snorted as she was outraged by hearing this.

"This is the path that will lead him to Marche's brother. By allowing the Crystallis to guide you to these places, Marche, you'll eventually be reunited with your brother."

Marche smiled to himself at the thought of what that meant and then turned to Ritz.

"How can you be smiling at a time like this?" Ritz questioned confusingly. "Your brother's out there and-"

"We'll get to see other worlds in the process of finding him." Marche continued as he grinned widely.

Marche could see the anger and frustration in her face being replaced by excitement and anxiousness.

"As I was saying, when do we get to leave?" Ritz asked humbly with a slightly nervous chuckle as she tried to hide her anxiousness.

The mysterious woman smiled as a black vortex appeared behind her. She began to slowly back into it as her voice echoed these words: "You'll know soon."

"Wait!" Marche called out in an attempt to get the mysterious woman to stop.

However, he was too late. He watched helplessly as the mysterious woman slowly backed into the black void and vanished. Then, the vortex itself faded away. Marche turned to Ritz with a clueless expression upon his face.

"So, what do we do now?" Marche asked with a hint of frustration to his voice.

"How should I know?" Ritz replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "You're the one with the thing on your chest."

Ritz's attention was suddenly brought to the crest on Marche's chest as it radiated with a gentle glow.

"Marche….the crest!" Ritz uttered as she pointed to the artifact. "It's glowing.…"

Without wasting another moment, Marche quickly reached out and grasped Ritz hand as the Crystallis' glow gradually grew into a bright light and engulfed the two.

"Whatever you do, don't let go." Marche said as he firmly held her hand.

"There's no way I'm letting go." Ritz said in a nervous, yet firm tone as she tightened her grip while the two of them began to fade away.

As Ritz and Marche faded away along with the surging light that had surrounded them stared out his window at the starry night sky.

"Hold on, Doned. I'm coming…." 


	3. A City of Darkness

Chapter 3: A City of Darkness 

Doned's journey though the portal had been completed. As he sat in his wheelchair, Doned glanced around the area in wonder. It was a city, shrouded in darkness, yet there were skyscrapers that looked as if they could touch the sky itself had neon lights that shined as bright as any silvery moon he had ever seen. He lifted his head even more to see a giant monitor with a scrambled picture perched on the highest part of the building.

"So...this is the city..." Doned uttered to himself aloud as he tried to take in everything all at once.

Doned suddenly felt a hand touch his shoulder. He lowered his head back down and looked to the hand that was rested upon his shoulder, then looked up to the shrouded mysterious figure that the hand belonged to.

"This city can be yours, Doned." the enigmatic stranger said as he looked down at Doned. "You can own all of this. You can possess the power of darkness and destroy the brother that took away your dream of a healthy life. You can gain the ability to walk again..."

Doned gasped in shock as his eyes completely widened. He lowered his head back down and went deep into thought.

"I know this is what you want, Doned. This is what you've longed for those three years. It's right here in front of you. All you have to do is reach out and take it."

"Is this the answer I've been looking for?" Doned thought to himself as he began to explore his options. "I want my health back again, but do I really want everything else that's been offered with it? Do I really want my brother...destroyed?"

Doned began to wheel himself away slowly from the shrouded stranger as he immersed himself into thought. He continued to let his eyes explore the strange new environment he was placed into as the enigmatic stranger stood only a few feet away.

"This is just unreal..." Doned uttered in awe as he thought aloud while his eyes continued to wander. "I've never seen anything like it in my entire life!"

"There's more…." the enigmatic stranger said as he watched Doned take in every sight his eyes had come across.

Doned could hear the shrouded stranger's voice, but was too fascinated with this new environment to look back.

"Much more. You could see it, too. You could embrace it and make it your own-- if you wanted. You could gain all this and so much more. And, you've already taken the first step. Now, dive even further."

Finally, Doned fully turned his wheelchair around to face the enigmatic figure and gave the stranger his full attention.

"Embrace the darkness inside you, Doned. Remember what placed that darkness there inside you the first place. Remember why you loathe your brother. Remember the things he did to you. Remember, those three years. Those miserable years….."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Doned began to think of his brother, Marche. . Memories he cared not to remember began to flow thought his mind like a stream in a brook. From the inner depths of Doned's mind, one memory after another visited him in vivid flashes. Memories of deception, betrayal, and abandonment that Doned knew he could never forgive or forget in any lifetime. Memories of how his brother took away Doned's only chances of fulfilling all of his dreams, wishes, and desires. Things he had longed to do, but would never get to do again after being taken from his dream world. All of the anger, frustration, pain, and rage that was bottled up inside him for the past three years now had a fully tightened grip upon him. The same that had ate away at his very soul.

Finally, Doned looked up to the cloaked figure.

"I remember….." Doned uttered as his voice trembled. "I remember what he did to me."

"That's it!" the enigmatic stranger exclaimed while clinching a fist as Doned slowly wheeled himself back in the stranger's direction.

"I remembered how much I begged my brother not to change the world back to the way it was. I remember pleading to him to allow the world to stay just the way it was. Exactly the way it was…..so I could be happy. So I could walk again, and finally be rid of this damned sickness. So I could live out my dreams."

"Dive even deeper…." the cloaked stranger uttered.

"I remember…..that he didn't care."

Doned did not shed a single tear, yet he could feel himself crying on the inside. He could feel the pain his brother had put him though begin to crush him physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, he showed no evidence of this. His demeanor seemed bitterly cold. A sinister smile began to stretch across his face.

"I remember…..that I want vengeance." Doned said coldly as he approached the enigmatic stranger. "I want Marche to suffer like I have. I want to show him what happens when you turn on your brother."

"You have taken the next step." the enigmatic stranger said proudly. "You have embraced the darkness within you and allowed to take you. Now, it will be your guide…."

The cloaked stranger slowly extended his hand to Doned.

"And so will I. But what remains is to answer this question. Do you want it?"

Doned reached out and shook the enigmatic stranger's hand.

"I want it all."


	4. A Child Cries as the Knight Falls

Chapter 4: A Child Cries as the Knight Falls

"W-where are we?" Marche asked as he batted his eyes to try and knock his disorientation.

"You're asking me?" Ritz replied cluelessly as she glanced around at their surroundings. "I don't even know where 'here' is. If I had to make a guess though, I'd say we're in the middle of some ally."

"Well, now that we've gotten the obvious out of the way..." Marche remarked sarcastically.

"Wow! I had no idea you were a comedian!" Ritz remarked back in the same sarcastic tone as she turned and started towards the end of the ally.

"Ha ha." Marche said unamused as he glanced around at his surroundings.

His eyes drew him to the other end of the ally where off in the distance he could see what appeared to be two thirteen year old boys and a slightly younger looking girl. Marche squinted his eyes to try and get a better look at the youths. As he looked on at the conversing children, he felt as if they were acting suspicious.

Slowly, without any thought into it and putting one cautious foot after the other, Marche started toward the children. He tried hard to monitor his movements carefully so that he wouldn't make a single sound while keeping a watchful eye on the children.

"Hope they don't spot me..." Marche thought to himself with a smirk as he continued to creep up on them. "I wanna get a better look."

As Marche drew closer, the faces of the suspicious looking children began to come into focus. Their words began to become more understandable as well.

"Almost close enough..." Marche said anxiously under his breath.

"You gotta see this, Marche!" Ritz called out from the end of the ally awestricken by the sights that stood before her. " It's unbelievable! Come over here and check it out!"

Marche stopped dead in his tracks as the children directly ahead of him quickly snapped their heads in his direction. He could see the children begin to panic and talk amongst themselves.

"Nice goin', Ritz." Marche said under his breath as he rolled his eyes.

Marche smiled reassuringly and raised his hand in a gesture to show that he had come in peace. He started to speak to the children and assure them that he was not there to hurt them, but in the blink of an eye they had disappeared. Marche shook his head in disbelief and silently stared on confusingly at the dead end of the ally.

"Marche!" Ritz impatiently called out. "You comin' or what?!"

Marche let out a heavy sigh, then turned and quickly sprinted to Ritz's end of the ally.

"This better be worth it..." Marche snapped at Ritz in an annoyed tone as he approached her.

"What took you so long, anyway?" Ritz questioned as Marche walked past her.

"I was trying to get a closer look at these suspicious looking..."

Marche paused as he was awestricken by what stood before him.

"Wow...!" Marche said awestricken as he gazed upon his surroundings. " This is unreal! What is this place!?"

"A great city built by someone I once looked up to." a feminine voice spoke up from behind Ritz and Marche.

The duo turned to find the cloaked stranger from Marche's room standing there before them.

"Someone...I was very close to..." the enigmatic figure said with their head slightly lowered.

Marche and Ritz were about to respond when they were quickly cut off.

"But that's a story for another time." the stranger quickly spoke up. "Right now, I don't have alot of time to work with so I'll make this as short as I can."

The cloaked stranger walked by Ritz and Marche and stood before them.

"What you see before you is known as Winghaven City." the enigmatic figure pointed out as while directing their attention to the massive skyscrapers, busy streets, and crowds of people that surround them.

The figure then turned and slowly approached Marche and pointed to the crest on his chest.

"The Crystallis, the crest on your chest that is bonded to your shirt, brought you here. It is where you need to be at this point in time, and it will only take you where you need to be, everytime."

"How the hell am I supposed to find my brother like this?! Marche scowled as he clinched his fist.

"You'll find him in time." the cloaked figure assured Marche while gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

Marche looked over to find the cloaked figure beginning to fade away from his sight.

"Oh, one more thing..." the cloaked figure said while fading away.

Marche stood at attention and waited silently to hear what the stranger had to say.

Without uttering a single word, however, the cloaked stranger tossed what appeared to be a hard digitalized tablet.

Marche fumbled to catch the tablet, but eventually he barely caught the device. He glanced down at the strange item then looked up at the stranger.

"What is this?" Marche asked curiously.

"It's a digitalized list of people that will help you on your journey and where they are located." the stranger's voice echoed while continuing to slowly fade. "Just follow the list and you'll be fine.

"Wait!" Marche called out as the stranger completely faded out of sight.

"Dammit..." Marche sighed in frustration.

He stood there, surrounded by unfamiliar people and places, with no idea on what is purpose in this city was or how he was going to find his brother. All he knew was that his brother was out there, and standing there wasn't going to help find him. He walked down the ally and out into the what seemed like an enormous bussling city. He approached Ritz and stood next to her while glancing up and the dizzifying tall buildings.

"Any ideas?" Marche asked cluelessly as he glanced over at Ritz.

"Well, I have one..." Ritz replied as she pointed over to a small group of kids that were being chased a few feet across from where they stood.

"They probably stole something from one of the shops around here." Marche coldly commented as he turned away and continued to glance around at his surrounding. "Besides, they aren't going to lead us to Doned."

Ritz slowly turned her head to Marche in anger and frowned at him.

"You mean to tell me you're going to turn your back on those kids?" Ritz asked with a tone of disgust to her voice. "What happened to duty, justice, and sticking up for the weak?"

"Only innocent people deserve those things." Marche replied harshly. "Those kids only deserve punishment."

Ritz's eyes widened in shock. She looked on at her friend in disbelief over the the cold harsh words he had just spoken.

"What's the matter with you Marche?" Ritz asked as she looked at him in disgust.

Without another word, she darted off as quickly as her legs could carry her. Marche looked on as he began to question his own words.

"What _is _wrong with me?" Marche asked himself as he thought to himself. "Why would I say something like that? Is Doned's disappearance getting to me that much?"

Without even thinking, Marche suddenly took off after Ritz. He ran after her as fast as he could, but she was already a good distance ahead of him. As he tried to pick up his stride, he noticed someone dressed in knight's armor not too far ahead of him. As Marche attempted to slow himself down, he also noticed that it appeared as if the knight was struggling to walk as he was using his weapon as a aid. By the time Marche came to a complete stop, the knight's battle warn body had given out and had fallen hard onto the ground. Marche kneeled down and removed the knight's damaged, dirty helmet. The helmet's removal revealed a young man with gentle green eyes and long brown hair done up in a pony tail. The knight clinched his eyes shut as well as his teeth while he lied there on the ground in pain. He struggled to open his eyes and looked up at Marche.

"Y-you're t-the one he mentioned..." the knight uttered as he struggled to talk. "M-must...not l-let him get to you."

"What do you mean?" Marche questioned as he stared cluelessly at the knight.

"E-Enigma..." the knight uttered in a weak voice.

"Who's that?" Marche questioned with great concern in in his voice.

"He will...try to lead you...into the darkness. D-do not...let it...happen..."

"I don't understand." Marche said cluelessly as he watched the dying knight.

"F-find Yen Sid. He...will explain everything."

The knight grunted hard and his body tightened as sharp pains shot throughout his entire body.

"R-reach into my left pocket..." the dying knight uttered weakly knowing his time was almost up. "In there, you'll...find directions to...someone here...in this city...that will help you...find him."

Marche reached in and pulled out what the knight had spoken of. It was a small piece of paper containing a list. Marche folded up the paper and tucked away for safe keeping. With the last remainder of strength he had, the knight extended his arm and held out his weapon to Marche.

"Take it..." the knight softly spoke as his life faded away. "My Absolution..."

"Absolution?" Marche asked as he slowly reached out and grasped the weapon.

"It is the only thing that can destroy the...creatures of darkness. You'll need this...most of all on your...journey."

As Marche pulled the weapon away, the knight's hand suddenly dropped and landed hard upon the ground . The knight's head slowly turned on its side. With his dying breath, the knight told Marche:

"Use my keyblade valiantly, and let it guide you though your journey. It will help you when...they...come..."

With those words, the knight's body finally gave in to death's embrace and became limp and still. His life had ended. Marche slowly rose to his feet, unable to find a single word or thought for what he had just witnessed. He slightly raised the strange weapon that had been passed to him and stared at it with a river of questions flooding his young mind.

"What am I supposed to do with this thing?" Marche questioned to himself as continued to study the odd weapon.

He then lowered the weapon and turned his eyes forward in the direction Ritz and the children ran in.

"Guess I'll have to figure that out later." Marche thought as he started to take off running after his friend. "Right now, I have to catch up to Ritz and see if we can help those children."

As Marche entered entered the darkened ally that Ritz and the children ran into, he could suddenly hear the sound of sobbing and crying echoing though out the cramped area. The sound stopped Marche immediately. His eyes then began to scan the area in search of where the sounds were coming from, hoping he could find the source and help the poor soul. He dashed through the ally, looking in all directions for the individual while calling out to them. He hoped for a response, but all he could hear was the constant sounds of crying and sobbing. Finally, as he started to pass another ally that branched off from the one he was currently in, his eyes spotted a girl sitting there with her back to the brick wall, her knees holding up her arms, and her face sorrowfully burried in her hands. Upon seeing this, Marche quickly stopped and slowly started down the ally toward the saddened girl. As he approached her, Marche's foot came down in a puddle. The little girl quickly raised her head and looked in the direction of the sound to find Marche standing just a few feet away from him with the weapon he was given at his side. The little girl showed no fear as tears streamed down her face. Marche slowly and cautiously approached the little girl and smiled warmly at her.

"What's wrong little girl?" Marche asked in a kind assurring voice.

"The others." the little girl sobbed as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "They left me behind."

"Those other kids that ran past this ally?" Marche asked as he drew closer and crouched down to the little girl's level.

The little girl replied with a simple nod.

"Faris, Zidane, and Locke all left me here alone because I wasn't fast enough to keep up with them." the little girl explained as her voice trembled in sadness. "They know how I hate being left behind and being alone!"

"What's your name?" Marche asked curiously.

"Terra..." the little girl said with a sniffle.

"I'll tell you what, Terra..." Marche began to suggest as he grasped the little girl's hands.

As Marche started to stand back up, he pulled Terra along with him. He was just about to get to his feet when clusters of black mist surrounded them. Before he could get on his guard, the many mist clusters formed into black creatures. The same ones from his bedroom.

"You guys again?" Marche groaned as he stood in front of Terra.

"We have come for you, My Leige." one of the black creatures said in a dark echoing voice.

"My Leige?" Marche questioned to himself aloud as he stared at the creature confusingly.

The black creatures began to slowly draw closer to Marche and Terra. He could only stand in front of Terra and intimidatingly stare down the mysterious creatures, hoping they would just take him and leave the frightened young girl alone. Then, the fallen knight's words suddenly echoed within his mind. He slowly raised the weapon in his hand and stared at it while deep in thought.

"It will help when they come..." Marche uttered as he glanced down at the mysterious weapon.

Suddenly, Marche's expression of fear, doubt, and impending doom changed. It was a look of confidence. It was a look that expressed the will to fight back. Marche gripped the weapon with both hands and stood stood ready for battle. The black creatures began to reach for Marche as the gap between he and the mysterious creatures was almost closed. As soon as the odd creatures came into range, Marche swung the mysterious key shapped weapon and struck down his foes. In one sweep of the blade, the black creatures dispursed and disappeared in a dark, cloudy mist. Marche glared at the blade in disbelief. With a single swipe, the dark creatures had been defeated. This was a feat that was never accomplished during his adventures in Ivalice. With the remainder of the creatures creaping upon him, however, Marche had no time to bask in his small victory. Marche raised the blade over his head and came down with a great force, which followed into a mighty sweep acrossed. The strange black creatured dispursed into nothingness in great numbers as he swung the weapon in great force back and forth. Finally, after what seemed like a long and hard struggle, the battle was over. The threat had been defeated.

"That was great!" Terra squealed in excitement as she looked on at Marche in amazement.

"Yeah. I guess it was." Marche replied with a nervous chuckle as he gazed at the mysterious weapon in astonishment.

"What were those things?" Terra asked curiously with a slightly shaken tone to her voice.

"No clue." Marche reponded as he shook his head. "An even better question is what did they want with me?"

"My friends!" Terra suddenly shouted in fright. "What if those things go after my friends?!"

Marche approached her, smiled, and place his hand on Terra's shoulder.

"Then we'll have to get to them first."


	5. Negociations

Chapter 5: Negociations

Hidden from the eyes and ears of Organization XIII, Marche's guide was leaned against a wall with her head rested against it and the hood from the coat pulled completely over her head. Gazing endlessly at the ceiling, she stood silently deeply submerged within her thoughts. Thoughts of Marche and his quest, of Vexen and Zexion's plans for her, and of her life from before raced though her mind. Just as her thoughts were about to completely consume her, the beginning of a conversation between Marluxia and Larxene brought her back from the dephts of her mind. She pushed herself off the wall, pulled her hood back down, and crept to the corner of the wall. She peered around the corner to find Marluxia and Larxene entering a room of grand size and decorated in a wonderous, yet mysterious manner. She stood and silent watched and listened to what Marluxia and Larxene had to say.

"He's getting closer!' Larxene snapped in a worrysome tone, "At this rate, it won't be long before he learns the truth!"

"Even if he does, this castle will not let him keep that truth." Marluxia replied with a smile. "Besides, all of this was just an experiment to see if Sora posed a true threat to Organization XIII."

"But it won't be long before Sora destroys our plans! He's getting stronger with every floor he conquers! He need's to be taken care of!"

"On the contrary..." Marluxia said as he held out his hand.

The shape of a scythe began to form from small clusters of light that twinkled and shone brightly. The clusters quickly shaped into one great flash of light. After the light had faded, Marluxia's scythe was grasped in his hand.

"I'm looking forward to testing Sora's strength, personally. I don't intend to give in to the keyblade, unlike the others, either."

Marluxia turned and started out of the room with Larxene following right behind.

"What are we going to do about Adamina?" Larxene asked as she caught up to Marluxia's side.

"Adamina Falsebound?" Marluxia asked curiously as he raised an eyebrow. "She'll soon be one of us. She'll be the salvation of the Organization. The one thing that will keep us alive."

"In the meantime, I'll be the one to take care of that brat." Larxene's voice echoed as it became softer and more distant. "I won't let him interfere with our plans!"

"Sounds like Sora's cleaning house." thought to herself as she went back behind the wall again. "If I can just dodge them alittle longer, I won't have to worry about becoming one of them."

"Why worry with that when you can become so much more, Adamina?" a dark smooth voice echoed throughout the room.

Adamina frantically glanced around the room, searching and scanning for the one behind the voice.

"W-who are you?" Adamina asked as her voice slightly trembled. "Where are you? How do you know my name?"

"You'll have your answers soon, but right now, I have an offer for you."

"I don't make deals with people I can't see!" Adamina shouted firmly.

"Oh, but you'll love this offer. The best part about it is it's a simple offer. All I'm asking for is for you to join me."

"Not exactly the best sales pitch." Adamina said with a chuckle as she shook her head.

"Here's where the offer part comes in, though." the smooth mysterious voice said assuringly. "If you will be at my side, you will gain great power. The power to be whatever you want to be, and do whatever you want to do."

"Unfortunately for you, that kind of thing doesn't interest me!" furiously snapped back. "I prefer to keep my heart and continue to exist!"

"That's the best part!" the voice echoed asurringly. "To gain these powers, you won't have to become a nobody or a heartless. You can continue being you."

Adamina started to respond, but was quickly cut off by the echo of the mysterious smooth sounding voice.

"Remember how helpless you felt when you learned of your parents' death? How that helplessness has stuck with you ever since Organization XIII brought you here? Haven't you wished to finally throw away that helplessness that has haunted you so?"

She started to respond, but abruptly stopped herself and plunged herself deep into thought. Upon closing her eyes, sudden flashes of past memories flooded Adamina's mind. Her memories started to overtake her, causing Adamina to hold her head as if she was in some great pain.

"Is it coming back?" the mysterious soothing voice questioned as it echoed thoughout the room. "The sights, the sounds, the very feelings and sensations of the moment; what impression has it left on your heart?"

Adamina tried to respond, but felt a restraint against her. It was as if something was holding her back and kept her from confessing what was in her heart.

"I have a mission..." Adamina finally responded in a trembling, yet firm tone. "I have to help guide Marche on his quest and tear down Organization XIII. They have to pay for what they did. For what they're wanting to do to me."

"Then think on it." the assuring voice echoed.

"Think about this, though. Since your parents passed on, helplessness and vengence have been two of the biggest imprints on your heart. Make the right decision and you can give some of that back."

Adamina's hands finally lowered to her sides as she lifted her head high. She stood silent as she stared at the ceiling and deeply thought about what the voice had said along with her own thoughts and feelings of the past.

"Oh, and one more thing..." the voice echoed suddenly.

With Adamina's thoughts abruptly interrupted, she quickly lifted her head and gave her full attention.

"You might want to reach into your pocket. It might help you being the dark power you was temporarilly given has faded."

Adamina's eyes widened in shock as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her Dragon's Gate crest. She glared at it in curiosity and wonder as she examined it.

"Think of this as both an offering and a perk to joining our cause." the voice said as its echo faded into nothingness.

Adamina started to call out to the voice to ask about the crest, but stopped herself suddenly. She felt as if she already knew what to do, even thought she had never seen or held the item in her entire life. She closed her eyes as she held it to her chest. Within seconds, a dragon completely made of fire completely surrounded her body. In the blink of an eye, her body was lifted off the ground and carried into the sky in a brilliant streak of flames. Right before reaching the ceiling, the dragon carrying Adamina's body disappeared in a blazing flash, leaving only an empty room behind.


End file.
